Stiffening device for collars.



PATENTED JULY 23,1907.

S. H. TOLMAN. STIPIENING DEVICE FOR COLLARS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1907.

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SCOTT H. TOLMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STIFFENING DEVICE FOR COLLARS.

Applicationfiled January 8, 1907. Serial No. 351,355.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SCOTT H. TOLMAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Supporting or Stiffening Devices for Collars, &c., ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for stiffening, spreading andsupporting fabrics, especially stocks or collars of soft material, suchas are used by ladies for neckwear.

The invention has for its object to provide a device adapted for thispurpose, of such construction that it can be quickly and securelyattached to and detached from the fabric, the form of the device beingsuch cause an objectionable protuberance on the outer surface thereof.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed todescribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,`Figure 1 represents a side view of a collar-supporting deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents an edgeview of the same. Fig. 3 represents an enlargement of a portion of Fig.l, and a piece of fabric engaged with the device. Fig. 4 represents asection on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a side view of theblank from which the body of the device shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 ismade.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, 12 represents the body portion of my improvedstiffening device, the same being preferably composed of a thin strip ofrelatively stiff material, such as Celluloid, preferably formed in suchmanner that it has dull or non-lustrous surfaces, and therefore will notreflect light through the meshes of a lace collar with which it may beengaged. The end portions of the body 12 are provided with a recess 13into which a portion of the fabric 14 with which the stiffener is to beengaged, may be inserted. At opposite ends of the recess are raisedguides 15 15.

16 represents a pin, preferably of segmental form, adapted to move inthe guides 15, and to pass through the recess 13, so that the portion ofthe fabric 14 which projects into said recess, will be translixed by thepin when the latter is moved across the recess from one guide toanother. The pin is suitably engaged with the body 12 so that when movedit will move in a predetermined path, the pin`- being therefore kept inalinement with the guides 15. The pin is engaged with the body by meansof a connecting member which is preferably a shank 17, extending fromthe heel end of the pin to aA rivet 18 engaged with the body and an arm180 thereof, the shank having an eye which surrounds and is adapted toturn Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

upon the rivet. The preferred construction whereby the recess 13 andguides 15 are provided is as follows: The blank from which the body 12is made, is preferably formed as shown in Fig. 5, it being provided nearits end portions with an orifice 170. The blank is bent along the dottedline x :t in Fig. 5, the line of the bend being across the orifice 170.The bending of theblank converts each extreme end portion into an arm180 which is parallel with the adjacent portion of the body, as shown inFig. 2, each rivet 1S being engaged With an arm 180, as well as with theadjacent portion of the body. The pin and its shank are located betweenthe arm and the body, the bent portions of the blank at opposite sidesof the orifice forming the guides 15 through which the penetratingportion of the pin is adapted to pass.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the described device is adaptedto be quickly applied to and detached from a collar, the operation ofattaching the device consisting in simply pressing parts of the fabricinto the recesses 13, and then forcing the pins 16 through the recessesand the portions of the fabric therein, the fabric being thus transfixedby the pin, as indicated in Fig. 3. When the device is to be detachedfrom the fabric, the pins 16 are retracted from the recesses, thusreleasing the fabric. The outer portion of the shank 17 is preferablyformed with an outwardly bent or offset portion 19, as shown in Figs. 1and 3, to enable the operators nger to engage the shank and retract thepin, said onset portion also acting as a stop, by engaging the wall ofone of the guides 15, to limit the inward movement of the pin 16. i

My invention is not limited to use in connection y with neck collars, asit may be used as a stiffener or support for various flexible articlesof apparel.

I claim:

1. A device of the character stated, comprising a body having an endrecess and two pin guides and an arm eictending below the recess besidethe body, a rivet connecting the end of the arm wth'sad body, and a pinhaving a segmental portion movable in said guides and through the recessand having an eye mounted on said rivet.

2. A device of the character stated, comprising a body having,l anaperture and bent across said aperture to form an arm or guard besidethe body, the wall of the aperture forming a recess between two guidesformed by the bent portions of the body at opposite edges of theaperture, a rivet connecting the end portion of the arm or guard withthe corresponding portion of the body, and a segmental pin movable insaid guides and through the recess, said pin having a shank providedwith an eye mounted on said rivet and having an offset portion to engageone of the guides to limit the inward movement of' the pin.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

SCOTT H. TOLMAN.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, ALVIN T. CoNDoN.

